Monday 31 December 2012

CARROT KHEER (100th POSTING)



INGREDIENTS
Carrot - 1 cup ( grated )
Sugar - 5 Tbsps
Milk - 500 ml
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp
Almonds - 5 ( soaked in water )
Pistachios - 5 ( soaked in water )
Ghee - 1 Tsp

METHOD
1. Scrape the skin off the soaked almonds and pistachios.
2. Slice the soaked almonds and pistachios and keep aside.
3. Heat ghee in a pan and add the grated carrots saute for 2
    minutes.
4. Add the milk and cook till the carrots become soft.
5. Add the sugar and keep stirring till it reaches a thick milk
    maid like consistency.
6. Now add the cardamom powder and sliced almonds and
    pistachios.
7. Cool at room temperature , chill and serve.






DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, 
I AM HAPPY TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS IS MY 100TH POSTING 
IN MY BLOG BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
MY FIRST POSTING WAS ON JANUARY 26 2012.
THANK YOU SO MUCH VIEWERS AND WELL WISHERS FOR YOUR 
LIKES, COMMENTS CONSTANT SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT 
ALONG THE WAY IN FACEBOOK, MY BLOG, MAILS AND PHONE CALLS.
I STARTED THIS BLOG WITH FEW MEMBERS AND VIEWERS. 
TODAY IT HAS SPROUTED UP SLOWLY WITH LOTS OF VIEWERS 
AND MEMBERS.
MORE COMMENTS AND FEED BACKS FROM MY DEAR ONES ARE 
ALWAYS WELCOME.
THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR FROM THE DAY I STARTED TO POST 
YOU GAVE ME HOPE AND CHEER, SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY TIME.
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.


MERLYN.












Sunday 30 December 2012

NANJIL STYLE MUTTON MASALA



INGREDIENTS
Mutton -1 Kg
Onion - 1 ( chopped )
Tomatoes - 2 ( pureed )
Ginger & Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp
Salt - to taste
Ghee - 1 Tbsp

TO MARINATE
INGREDIENTS
Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp
Ginger & Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp
Salt - to taste

TO DRY ROAST AND GRIND
INGREDIENTS
Fresh Coconut - 1 / 2 cup ( grated )
Shallots - 20 ( chopped )
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tbsp
Pepper Powder - 2 Tbsps
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 Tbsp
Fennel Powder - 2 Tsps

TO TEMPER
INGREDIENTS
Oil - 4 Tbsps
Curry Leaves - 3 Sprigs
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cardamoms - 2
Cloves - 2



METHOD
1. Clean and chop mutton into medium size pieces.
2. Marinate the mutton pieces with the ingredients
     to marinate for an hour.
3. Pressure cook the mutton till soft and keep aside.
4. Dry roast the coconut in a pan and when it browns
    remove pan from stove and add the spice powders.
5. Once the roasted comes down to room temperature,
    grind it to a fine smooth paste along with shallots.
6. Heat oil in a pan and add the curry leaves and whole
    spices to temper.
7. Once it crackles, add the chopped onion and saute till
     it turns golden.
8. Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry till raw smell is
    no more.
9. Add the pureed tomatoes , salt to taste and the ground
    paste ,stir for 5 minutes in a medium flame.
10. Add the cooked mutton now along with the stock
      and mix well.
11. Let it simmer in a low flame for 5 - 10 minutes.
12. Just before removing from stove , add 1 Tbsp of ghee
      and serve hot.






Friday 7 December 2012

CHICKEN ROAST



INGREDIENTS
Chicken - 1 Kg
Onion - 3 ( sliced )
Ginger & Garlic Paste  - 3 Tbsps
Tomatoes - 2 ( sliced )
Red Chilli Powder - 2 Tbsps
Coriander powder - 2 Tsps
Pepper Powder - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 Tsps
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Coconut Milk - 1 / 4 cup
Salt - to taste
Coconut Oil - 6 Tbsps



TO MARINATE
INGREDIENTS
Chilli Powder - 3 Tsps
Pepper Powder - 2 Tsps
Turmeric Powder - 1 / 4 Tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 Tsp
Lemon Juice - 3 Tsps
Salt - to taste

METHOD
1. Clean and chop chicken into medium size pieces.
2. Marinate chicken in the given marinade for an hour.
3. In a pan pour the coconut milk and cook chicken till
    soft and dry.
4. In another pan heat 2 tbsps oil and add the cooked
    chicken pieces and saute in a low flame for 5 minutes.
5. Set aside the chicken pieces and to the same pan add
    remaining oil.
6. Add the sliced onions and saute till a golden brown.
7. Add the ginger and garlic paste and saute till raw smell
    is no more.
8. Add the sliced tomatoes and saute till it becomes soft.
9. Add the spice powders and salt to taste and mix wel.
10. Now add the cooked chicken pieces and mix well till
      the chicken is coated well with the masala.
11. Reduce flame , cover and cook for 5 minutes more
      and remove pan from stove.


Tuesday 4 December 2012

RED SPINACH PAKORA



INGREDIENTS
Red Spinach - 1 bunch ( finely chopped )
Onion - 1 (chopped )
Green Chillies - 2 ( chopped )
Cumin Powder - 1 / 4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp
Asafoetida -  a pinch
Chickpea Flour - 1 cup
Rice Flour - 2 Tbsps
Salt - to taste
Water - as required
Oil - to fry



METHOD
1. Mix all the dry ingredients with finely chopped red
    spinach, onion and green chillies.
2. Sprinkle water little at a time and mix well bind the
    ingredients.
3. Heat oil in a pan and drop in small pinches of the dough.
4. Fry till crisp, drain excess oil if any and serve hot.
    
     

Sunday 2 December 2012

TENDER COCONUT DRINK



INGREDIENTS
Tender Coconut Water - 2 cups ( chilled )
Tender Coconut Meat - 1 1 / 2 cup ( chilled )
Condensed Milk - 3 Tbsp ( chilled )
Sugar - 2 Tsps







METHOD
1. Grind the chilled tender coconut meat to a paste in a
    mixer along with  1 / 2 cup tender coconut water and sugar.


2. Add the remaining tender coconut water and milkmaid to the
    above paste.
3. Blend the ingredients well and serve chilled.



Note : Adjust the addition of condensed milk as some tender coconut
           water are very sweet.

Friday 30 November 2012

RICE AND LENTIL CREPES WITH MUTTON / MUTTON CURRY DOSA



FOR RICE AND LENTIL CREPES
INGREDIENTS
Rice - 1 cup
Urad Dal - 1 / 4 cup
Fenugreek Seeds - 2 Tsps
Salt - to taste

METHOD
1. Soak the rice, fenugreek and urad dal in separate bowls
    for 5 hours.
2. Grind the urad dal first to a smooth paste and leep aside.
3. Grind the soaked rice and fenugreek seeds next to a smooth
    paste.
4. Mix both the ground pastes well and allow it to ferment for
    8 hours or overnight.


FOR MEAT LAYER
INGREDIENTS
Mutton - 250 gms ( chopped )
Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp
Ginger & Garlic Paste - 2 Tsps
Salt - to taste

METHOD
1. Pressure cook the mutton along with pepper powder,
    ginger garlic paste and salt till soft.
2. Once the pressure is released, allow the mutton to cool
    at room temperature and shred manually or in a blender.
3. Keep aside the shredded mutton.



FOR MUTTON MASALA
INGREDIENTS
Onion - 1 ( chopped )
Green Chillies - 2 ( chopped )
Ginger - 1 Tsp ( grated )
Tomato - 1 ( chopped )
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 / 4 Tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 Tsp
Curry Leaves - 10 ( chopped )
Coriander Leaves  - 2 Tbsps ( chopped )
Salt - to taste
Coconut Oil - 2 Tbsps

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onion, green chillies, curry
    leaves,coriande leaves and grated ginger.


2. Saute till the onion turns a golden brown and add tomato,all the spice
    powders and salt to taste.



3. Mix well, reduce the flame and saute for 3 minutes till raw smell is no
    more.
4. Add the shredded mutton and mutton stock.


5. When the stock is reduced and the mixture is moist, remove pan from
    stove and keep aside.



FOR RICE AND LENTIL CREPES WITH MEAT



INGREDIENTS
Fermented Dosa Batter
Mutton Masala
Eggs - 2
Salt - to taste
Pepper Powder - 1 / 4 Tsp
Oil - as required

METHOD
1. To the fermented dosa batter add salt to taste and keep aside.
2. Beat the eggs well with salt and pepper powder in a bowl and
     keep aside.


3. Transfer the mutton masala from pan to a bowl and keep aside.
4. Smear some oil in a griddle or dosa pan and pour 2 ladlefuls of
     dosa batter.


5. Spread the dosa batter and immediately pour some beaten egg
    mixture on top of it.


6. Spread the egg mixture carefully over the dosa and spread the mutton
     masala on top of it evenly.


7. Drizzle oil on top amd sides of the dosa and reduce the flame to
    medium.
8. Cook for 2 minutes in low flame and carefully flip the dosa and cook on
    the meat side for another 3 - 5 minutes.


9. When the meat side of dosa is cooked, transfer meat dosa to a plate
     and serve hot.


10. Repeat the same with remaining dosa batter.



Wednesday 28 November 2012

SPICY STEAMED MUSSEL DUMPLINGS

INGREDIENTS
Mussels - 20
Mussel Shells - 10 ( cleaned )
Oil - to grease mussel shells
Oil - to shallow fry


TO MARINATE
Red Chilli Powder - 2 Tsps
Pepper Powder - 2 TSps
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 / 4 Tsp
Salt - to taste

METHOD
1. Marinate the mussels in the above ingredients for
    15 - 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated mussels
    drain excess oil if any and keep aside.




FOR OUTER COVERING
INGREDIENTS
Roasted Rice Flour - 2 cups
Grated Fresh Coconut - 1 / 2 cup ( optional )
Onion - 1 ( chopped )
Green Chillies - 3 ( chopped )
Ginger - 1 Tbsp ( grated )
Curry Leaves - 10 ( chopped )
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 / 4 Tsp
Water - 3 cups ( approx )
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 Tbsps



METHOD
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, green chillies, ginger
     and curry leaves.


2. When the onions turn a very light golden colour, add the spice
      powders.
3. Reduce the flame and saute for 2 minutes.


4. Add the required amount of water and salt to taste and keep
    the flame in high.


5. Let the water boil well reduce flame again and slowly add the roasted
    rice flour.


6. Mix well without lumps, remove pan from stove and let the mixture
    cool for sometime.


7. Clean and remove all impurities from the empty mussel shells and
     leave them to dry.

   
8. Grease the empty mussel shells with oil.
9. Take some flour from the covering, flatten it and keep shallow fried
     mussels inside it and close it with more flour covering.
10. Fill each cleaned mussel shell with stuffing.



11. Heat water in a steamer or idli cooker and place the stuffed mussel
      shells.
12. Steam for 15 minutes and remove stuffed mussel shells from the
      steamer.


13. Let it cool for sometime and carefully remove the mussel stuffed
      dumplings from the mussel shells and serve.



   



Monday 26 November 2012

DRUMSTICK AND JACKFRUIT SEEDS AVIYAL



INGREDIENTS
Drumstick - 1
Onion - 1 ( sliced )
Jackfruit Seeds - 15 ( sliced )
Green Chillies - 2 ( sliced )
Oil - 2 Tbsp
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Salt - to taste

TO GRIND
Fresh Coconut - 1 cup ( grated )
Cumin - 1 Tsp
Garlic - 5 cloves
Green chilli - 1
Red Chilli Powder - 1 / 2 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 / 2 Tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig


METHOD
1. Scrape the outer skin from the jackfruit seeds and
    slice them into quarters.
2. Pressure cook the jackfruit seeds till soft and set
    aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and curry
    leaves.
4. Once they burst add the sliced onion and green
    chillies and saute till the onions turn golden.
5. Add the drumsticks and salt to taste.
6. Add enough water to cook the drumsticks.
7. Meanwhile grind the ingredients for masala to a
    coarse paste.
8. When the drumsticks are 3 / 4 th done add the
    ground masala and pressure cooked jackfruit seeds.
9. Cover and cook for 5 minutes and remove pan from
    stove.






Saturday 24 November 2012

NOODLES BIRIYANI



INGREDIENTS
Maggi Noodles  ( Double Pack ) - 1
Beef - 250 gms
Onion - 1 ( sliced )
Green Chillies - 2 ( sliced )
Coriander Leaves - 2 Tbsps ( chopped )
Oil - 2 Tbsps

TO MARINATE
Ginger & Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsps
Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp
Pepper Powder -1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 / 4 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 / 2 Tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 / 4 Tsp
Salt - to taste
Lemon Juice - 1 Tsp


METHOD
1. Marinate the beef along with the ingredients above
    for 30 minutes.
2. Pressure cook the marinated beef till soft.
3. Wait till pressure releases and set aside.
4. Cook noodles according to packet instructions and
    keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add the sliced onions and green
    chillies.
6. Saute till onions turn brown and add the cooked beef
    along with stock.
7. When the curry becomes slightly thick, add the cooked
    noodles and coriander leaves.
8. Mix well and remove pan from stove.
9. Serve hot.

Thursday 22 November 2012

HAPPY THANKSGIVING



WISHING ALL OUR MEMBERS AND VIEWERS A 
HAPPY THANKSGIVING

BATTER FRIED SQUIDS



INGREDIENTS
Squid - 500 gms
Fried Curry Leaves - 10
Oil - to deep fry

TO MARINATE
Buttermilk - 1 cup
Ginger & Garlic Paste - 2 Tsps
Salt - a pinch

FOR COVERING
Plain Flour - 1 cup
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tbsp
Pepper Powder - 1 Tbsp
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt - to taste


METHOD
1. Clean and slice the squid into rings.
2. Add ginger garlic paste along with a pinch
    of salt to the buttermilk and mix well.
3. Soak the squid rings in the buttermilk for
    15 - 20 minutes.
4. Mix all the spice powders and salt with the
    plain flour and keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a pan.
6. Take a squid ring shake excess marinade,
    dip in the flour mixture and deep fry.
7. When the squid rings are golden or brown
    in colour and crisp remove from oil.
8. Drain excess oil and serve hot garnished with
    fried curry leaves.

Tuesday 20 November 2012

FRENCH TOAST / SWEET BREAD TOAST



INGREDIENTS
Sandwich Bread Slices - 10
Eggs -2
Milk - 2 cups
Sugar - to taste
Vanilla Essence - 1 / 2 Tsp
Ghee - as required

METHOD
1. Boil and cool the milk to room temperature.
2. Beat the eggs well along with sugar and vanilla
    essence in a bowl.
3. Add the milk to the egg mixture and mix well.

4. Heat a griddle and drizzle some ghee.
5. Dip the bread slices one after another in the egg
    and milk mixture and place on the hot griddle.
6. Drizzle some more of ghee on the sides and top of
     the bread slice.
7. Flip and cook on both sides to a golden to brown colour.